Points of Order

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. On 27 April, I raised the issue of the Prime Minister’s comments about increased employment since the pandemic. After that, I wrote to the UK Statistics Authority about the issue. In its reply on 11 May, the authority’s interim chair said that the Prime Minister needed to be clearer about employment statistics, and that he was running the risk of

“a misleading impression of trends in the labour market”

being given. The UK Statistics Authority has also contacted the 10 Downing Street briefing team about this matter on numerous occasions in the past few months, but the Prime Minister has continued to reiterate the claim. May I ask your advice, Mr Speaker, on what a Minister should do if they use statistics in a way that they then find could inadvertently mislead the House, and what action is open to the House to ensure that that advice is followed?

I thank the hon. Lady for giving me notice of her point of order, which will have been heard by those on the Government Front Bench. As Madam Deputy Speaker said on 27 April,

“it is important for information given to the House to be accurate…if necessary, the matter will be addressed appropriately and action taken to correct the record”.—[Official Report, 27 April 2022; Vol. 712, c. 800.]

If the hon. Lady continues to be dissatisfied, the Table Office can advise her on ways in which to take the matter further.

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek your guidance. Today the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office released its long-awaited international development strategy. This is the most significant change in policy on UK Government development since the announcement of the aid cut in November 2020. Indeed, the strategy is apparently

“'the Government’s vision for the future of UK…development”

and

“the heart of the UK’s foreign policy”.

Those are the Government’s words, not mine.

I was very disappointed that the strategy was released as a written statement, rather than the Foreign Secretary’s coming to the House and answering questions from Members. We spend a significant sum on official development assistance every year. Given that the strategy is highly evasive, in what I consider to be a very concerning way, about when the 0.7% of gross national income target for ODA will be restored, it deserves proper debate. Can you advise me, Mr Speaker, on how we can get the Foreign Secretary to come to the House and answer questions?

I thank the hon. Member for giving me notice of that point of order. I have received no notice from Ministers that they intend to make a statement on this matter, although, as the hon. Member said, the international development strategy has been laid before the House today. The House knows that I have no power to compel a Minister to make a statement. Those on the Government Front Bench will, however, have heard the hon. Member’s point of order. She is, of course, free to pursue the matter through other means, and I am sure that she knows which routes to take.

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. This morning, the Prime Minister visited Northern Ireland to ascertain from all the parties the position in relation to the Northern Ireland protocol. Have you been notified that he is to come to this House to make a statement on those talks and discussions, so that we can make sure that the Northern Ireland protocol is ditched—that is No. 1—and know exactly what the Government’s intentions are on this matter?

I can honestly say that nobody has been to me to say that they wish to come to this House, neither the Prime Minister nor anybody representing the Government. I am sure that through your good offices, you will not leave it at that. I am sure that you will pursue it, and your colleagues from Northern Ireland will do the same.